Let's row in same direction

My Word: Richard T. Crotty

November 25, 2009|By Richard T. Crotty, Special to the Orlando Sentinel

Scott Maxwell's recent column asserting that Orange County was "AWOL" on the Central Florida Regional Commission on Homelessness followed by Friday's editorial accusing us of being "miserly" toward the homeless are shameful displays of fiction posing as fact. Because the Orange County dollars in question are really taxpayer dollars, it's important to set the record straight.

Orange County has had a long-standing commitment toward mitigating the causes and effects of homelessness. This year, the county targeted more than $7.6 million to assist the homeless and those on the cusp of homelessness. This includes $1.1 million to the Health Care Center for the Homeless to provide medical, dental and pharmacy services, and $3.6 million in housing and shelter assistance.

This doesn't include our $4 million contribution toward the new men's service center at the Coalition for the Homeless. Our Youth and Family Services division also dispensed more than $1.9 million in rent payments and utility assistance, a program that clearly prevents homelessness. The sum of $7.6 million may not satisfy Sentinel opinion writers, but tax dollars are limited, and the demands for services are many. We do our best to address needs in a compassionate and fiscally responsible way.

The Regional Commission on Homelessness was predicated on the idea that a group of community leaders could bring a fresh perspective on homelessness and provide the leadership to leverage resources. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and I did not form the commission, but when asked to serve as co-chair, I was proud to do so. This was not supposed to be another group to fund, but one that could maximize the funding that is already here.

The community organizations that service the homeless have developed independently over time to address specific issues. The Homeless Services Network of Central Florida apportions close to $5 million in federal funding to these varied organizations.

The new paradigm being advanced by the regional commission is consolidation and coordination. This model has shown great results in our community with collaborations such as the Primary Care Access Network, which increased primary care medical services from 8,000 individuals in 2000 to 125,000 today. Another fine example is the county's Central Receiving Center, which has assisted more than 30,000 individuals who are in mental-health crisis.

Far from being a "last ditch plea for help," merging HSN with the regional commission is a culmination of thoughtful design. The HSN board understands how to provide services for the homeless. The regional commission understands community planning, leveraging assets and streamlining processes. Uniting these forces under one umbrella makes sense.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness calls such an effort "rowing in the same direction." I invite the Sentinel to get on board and row with us.